Good Friday: Pause to perceive the pain, sit with the sorrow, contemplate the cruelty of the condemnation of Christ, the substitute of the sinless Son Sad Saturday Saturday, the settled gloom Speaks only doom Our Lord sealed in the tomb. Our hopes were high. Why did he have to die? Was it all a […]

My poem of the week last week was a new baptism hymn written by one of my pastors, Justin Wainscott. We really do have a shortage of good baptism hymns, which is odd for Baptists, so I was delighted to see this new hymn from Justin, whose poems I have posted here before. It is […]

My poem of the week this week comes from one of my favorite poets, Edgar Guest. I love how Guest speaks of the beauty of everyday life, home, family and perseverance. There is simple wisdom here. “Patience” The patient man who stands to care And shrugs his shoulders now and then At little hurts […]

For the last 20 years, April has been designated National Poetry Month. Any reader of this blog will know that I have an interest in poetry and seek to indicate its value for pastoral ministry. In fact, I hope to one day edit a volume on the value of poetry in pastoral ministry. In honor […]

My poem of the week this week has been one of my favorites from Frank L. Stanton (February 22, 1857- January 7, 1927), who was the first poet laureate of the state of Georgia. I appreciate the “down home”, everyday life themes of his poems which are often sprinkled with what used to be common sense […]

I saw this morning that Peter Hitchens’ book, The Rage Against God, is available on Kindle for $1.99 for a limited time. This is such a powerful, beautiful book on so many levels, and I fear many people have missed this book because they didn’t realize what it is. The marketers promoted it as a […]

Ghosts of Dreams WE are all of us dreamers of dreams, On visions our childhood is fed; And the heart of a child is unhaunted, it seems, By ghosts of dreams that are dead. From childhood to youth’s but a span, And the years of our life are soon sped; But the youth is no […]

My poem of the week this week comes from Edgar Guest, a favorite of mine. I had my sons memorize this one last week and recite it this morning. There is much helpful here. Courage This is courage: to remain Brave and patient under pain; Cool and calm and firm to stay In the presence […]

I have already listed Peter Hitchens’ book, The Rage Against God, as one of the best books I read last year. I had meant to comment much more on the books contents which are rich on a variety of topics and levels. One point made often in the book is the power of poetry and […]

My poem of the week this week is this wonderful hymn on perseverance rooted in knowledge of God’s sovereign love and care. May it be as encouraging to you as it is to me. Give to the Winds Thy Fears by Paul Gerhardt (translated from German to English by John Wesley in his Collection, 1737) […]